Escalator
by likeateddybear
Summary: "Yeah, well... Why are you on an escalator?"    "It's out of order."    "Yes, I can see that, but-" John stopped and just looked at Sherlock. Sherlock furrowed his eyebrows.    "Problem?"


**Title:** Escalator  
><strong>Fandoms: <strong>Sherlock  
><strong>Pairings:<strong> Hinting at Sherlock/John, but not much of it.  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG for fluff  
><strong>Summary<strong>: Fluff fic! I was talking with a friend about escalators and thought- No, if I say that, I might ruin the fic. But, here you go!__

_John, meet me at the mall. It's important. - SH _

_If inconvenient, come anyway. -SH_

_John, it's been thirteen minutes since my first text. -SH_

_John! -SH_

_It's a serious issue, John, and I don't appreciate you ignoring my texts. -SH_

**..Where do you want me to go? **

_Meet me at the escalator on the third floor. -SH_

**Which one, exactly? **

**You don't perhaps mean the one that actually climbs all three floors, do you? **

_That's the one. -SH_

**On my way. **

_Hurry. -SH_

John gave an annoyed sigh as he shoved his phone back into his pocket, shrugging his jacket back on and grabbing his wallet. He made the cabbie drive as fast as he would and rushed into the building.

When he reached the escalator, he saw that it was out of order. He stared at it in confusion looked up to the third floor. About halfway up the escalator was Sherlock, fiddling with his phone and leaning against the railing.

_Yes, come on. -SH_

John grumbled and climbed up to Sherlock as quickly as he could.

"What is it, then? Why are you at a mall, of all places?"

"It's for a case."

"For a case?"

"Obviously."

"Yeah, well.. Why are you on an escalator?"

"It's out of order."

"Yes, I can _see _that, but-" John stopped and just looked at Sherlock. Sherlock furrowed his eyebrows.

"Problem?"

"Sherlock... Were you on here when it stopped working?"

"Yes, John, and now it's out of order."

"Did you not see everyone else getting off by simply walking up the stairs? I walked all the way to you! Are you honestly that lazy?"

"Not lazy, on a case," Sherlock replied, fiddling with his phone again. "Lestrade gave me a case, and it happens to have a lot to do with the mall.."

"And the escalator?"

"No, John, the escalator's broken."

"You're avoiding the point. Why are you here- in the almost direct middle of the escalator - when you could have simply walked off of it? Does it have anything at all to do with the case?"

"No. The escalator broke down and I've been here for an hour waiting for you to show up."

"You must have been getting some right funny looks, then."

Sherlock sighed dramatically and sat down on a step clumsily. John looked at him for a second, and then sat down beside him.

"When's the last time you ate, Sherlock?"

"What day is it?"

"Saturday."

"Tuesday..? Or maybe it was Thursday. One or the other. Most likely Thursday." John sighed, looking down the escalator. They were silent for a few moments as Sherlock texted. When he put down his phone, John lifted his head slightly, still looking down to the first floor.

"You're going to kill yourself by not eating, Sherlock."

"I'm fine."

"Tell me why you didn't climb up the escalator when it broke down."

"It isn't important."

"Are you tired? I know you haven't slept for at least forty eight hours, and not eating can make you very weak."

Sherlock was silent, but he wasn't texting. He didn't seem to be looking at much of anything. Suddenly, he stood up. John stood up slowly as Sherlock spoke.

"He didn't work here, but his wife thought he did. He was fired months ago, but why would he have lied to his wife? Because he was having an affair with his boss who only fired him so they wouldn't be breaking store policy. He only showed up for morning shifts because his boss had kids and that was the only time they could go to daycare and... It's so _obvious_, I don't know why I didn't see it before, I feel like a complete dolt now, I suppose you can relate." John rolled his eyes as Sherlock called up Lestrade and told him exactly where to find the body and what he figured out.

Sherlock hung up and put the phone in his pocket, feeling triumphant at the end of the case. He turned towards John quickly, and that's when everything went hazy. His vision blurred, he heard a loud ringing in his ears, the breath was taken right out of him. The next thing he knew, his hearing was coming back along with his vision and John was awkwardly holding him up.

"Sherlock.. Sherlock!" John sounded shocked and worried. Sherlock straightened him self up a bit and looked at John, who made him sit down at once.

"John," Sherlock muttered, half leaning against John, "I.. Think I need some... Some.."

"Transport?" Sherlock gave a breathy chuckle and John grinned. "Stay here, I'll get you a sandwich."


End file.
